This factsheet provides a summary of the activities that the ICRC carries out for vulnerable migrants and their families in the Americas. It explains our approach and describes what we, together with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, do to help protect and assist migrants along migration routes in the Americas.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, through its Zika Operation and with technical support from the Reference Center for Institutional Disaster Preparedness (CREPD) and the Red Cross Caribbean Disaster Risk Management Reference Centre (CADRIM), held a 3-day regional meeting to revise the capacity building strategy that supports the response to the Zika outbreak.

Less than a month ago, on November 18th, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the Zika virus is no longer a public health emergency of international concern. It does, however, continue to present a serious public health concern in the Americas, especially to the most vulnerable populations like women of childbearing age. To date, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has registered over 515,000 suspected Zika cases, of which more than 170,000 have been confirmed.

In Belize, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) stated that flash flood waters are swelling the river banks and people living in the following areas need to be prepared: Cayo District, Belize River Valley and La Democracia.

Damage assessments are ongoing as the storm caused more damage than government of Belize (GOB) originally estimated it would, and these effects will be felt in the short and medium-term.

The situation

Hurricane Earl made landfall in Belize in the early hours of Thursday, 4 August, causing severe flooding. After it made landfall near Belize City, Earl was downgraded to a tropical storm, and it is forecast to move over the southern Yucatan Peninsula or northern Guatemala later today, 4 August 2016. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts. Additional weakening is expected as the centre moves over high terrain, and Earl is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression by tonight.

Hurricane Earl made landfall in Belize in the early hours of Thursday, 4 August, causing severe flooding. After it made landfall near Belize City, Earl was downgraded to a tropical storm, and it is forecast to move over the southern Yucatan Peninsula or northern Guatemala. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts. Additional weakening is expected as the centre moves over high terrain, and Earl is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression by tonight.

Summary: Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus predominately transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquitoes (A.aegypti and A.albopictus) - the same type of mosquitoes that spreads dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. The Zika virus is spreading rapidly and increasing scientific evidence is demonstrating the impact of the virus, especially on pregnant women and their infants is far greater than first reported.

The Caribbean Regional Representation Office (CRRO) is based in Trinidad and Tobago and is one of
the two regional extension offices of the Americas Zone that delivers secretariat services to its member
National Societies. It is staffed by a regional representative, and provides finance, human resources
and programme coordination support to the 13 Anglophone National Societies of the region.